2 Kings 21:3
in 2 Kings 21For he rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had destroyed, and he raised up altars for Baal. He made an Asherah pole, as King Ahab of Israel had done, and he worshiped and served all the host of heaven.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
For he built again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made an Asherah, as did Ahab king of Israel, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.
KJV
For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed; and he reared up altars for Baal, and made a grove, as did Ahab king of Israel; and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served them.
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This verse in 2 Kings 21
Commentary
8 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
The first step in the re-establishment of idolatry seems to have been the restoration of the high places where Yahweh was professedly worshipped 2Ki 18:22, but with idolatrous rites 1Ki 14:23. The next was to re-introduce the favorite idolatry of Israel, Baal-worship, which had formerly flourished in Judaea under Athaliah 2Ki 11:18, and Ahaz 2Ch 28:2. After this, Manasseh seems to have especially affected Sabaism, which had been previously unknown in Judaea (compare 2Ki 17:16 and note).
This site's exposition
twelve years old when he began
on 2 Kings 21:1-3
Manasseh reigns fifty five years, the longest reign of any king of Judah, inheriting a kingdom his father Hezekiah had reformed. He reverses the reform in one sentence: the high places Hezekiah destroyed are rebuilt, an altar for Baal and a grove appear as in the days of Ahab of Israel, and Manasseh worships the host of heaven, the astral religion of Assyria and Babylon rather than the older Canaanite cults of the conquest era. Twelve years old at his accession, he grows up under whatever influence surrounded a boy king, and the text offers no explanation beyond the deed itself.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
A commentator
John ChrysostomHOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW 22.6 · Written in the 5th century.
proposed
For so Manasses had perpetrated innumerable pollutions, having both stretched out his hands against the saints, and brought abominations into the temple, and filled the city with murders, and wrought many other things beyond excuse; yet nevertheless after so long and so great wickedness, he washed away from himself all these things. How and in what manner? By repentance, and consideration. For there is not, yea, there is not any sin, that doth not yield and give way to the power of repentance, or rather to the grace of Christ. Since if we would but only change, we have Him to assist us. And if thou art desirous to become good, there is none to hinder us; or rather there is one to hinder us, the devil, yet hath he no power, so long as thou choosest what is best, and so attractest God to thine aid.
A commentator
Apostolic ConstitutionsCONSTITUTIONS OF THE HOLY APOSTLES 2.22 · Written before 380.
proposed
For it is written thus in the fourth book of Kings and the second book of Chronicles, or of Days: "Manasseh was twelve years old when he began to reign; he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother's name was Hephzibah. He did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, following the abominable practices of the nations that the Lord drove out before the people of Israel.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
This he began with, but proceeded to that which was much worse; for, (2.) He set up other gods, Baal and Ashtaroth (which we translate a grove ), and all the host of heaven, the sun and moon, the other planets, and the constellations; these he worshipped and served (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
For he built up again the high places which Hezekiah his father had destroyed,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Hence, when he became sovereign, he introduced the worship of idols, the restoration of high places, and the erection of altars or pillars to Baal, and the placing, in the temple of God itself, a graven image of Asherah, the sacred or symbolic tree, which represented "all the host of heaven." This was not idolatry, but pure star-worship, of Chaldaic and Assyrian origin [KEIL].
1 more voice on this verse
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Made a grove - He made Asherah, the Babylonian Melitta or Roman Venus. See 2Ki 17:10, and the observations at the end of that chapter; and see here on 2Ki 21:7 (note). Worshipped all the host of heaven - All the stars and planets, but particularly the sun and the moon.
The words behind it
24 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיָּ֗שָׁב | vaiyashov | and he returned | H7725 → | 1056 times |
| וַיִּ֙בֶן֙ | vaiyiven | and he built | H1129 → | 376 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הַבָּמ֔וֹת | habamot | the high places | H1116 → | 102 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֥ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| אִבַּ֖ד | ʾibad | he had destroyed | H6 → | 184 times |
| חִזְקִיָּ֣הוּ | chizkiyahu | Hezekiah | H2396 → | 127 times |
| אָבִ֑יו | ʾaviv | father his | H1 → | 1212 times |
| וַיָּ֨קֶם | vaiyakem | and he set up | H6965 → | 628 times |
| מִזְבְּחֹ֜ת | mizbechot | altars | H4196 → | 401 times |
| לַבַּ֗עַל | labaal | to <the> Baal | H1168 → | 82 times |
| וַיַּ֤עַשׂ | vaiyaas | and he made | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| אֲשֵׁרָה֙ | ʾasherah | an Asherah pole | H842 → | 40 times |
| כַּאֲשֶׁ֣ר | kaasher | just as | H834 → | 5497 times |
| עָשָׂ֗ה | ʾasah | he had done | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| אַחְאָב֙ | ʾachav | Ahab | H256 → | 92 times |
| מֶ֣לֶךְ | melekh | [the] king of | H4428 → | 2525 times |
| יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל | yisrael | Israel | H3478 → | 2507 times |
| וַיִּשְׁתַּ֙חוּ֙ | vaiyishtachu | and he bowed down | H7812 → | 172 times |
| לְכָל־ | lekhol | to all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| צְבָ֣א | tzeva' | [the] host of | H6635 → | 485 times |
| הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם | hashamayim | the heavens | H8064 → | 421 times |
| וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֖ד | vaiyaavod | and he served | H5647 → | 288 times |
| אֹתָֽם׃ | ʾotam | <obj.> them | H853 → | 10935 times |
וַיָּ֗שָׁבand he returned
vaiyashovH7725 →1056 times
וַיִּ֙בֶן֙and he built
vaiyivenH1129 →376 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הַבָּמ֔וֹתthe high places
habamotH1116 →102 times
אֲשֶׁ֥רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
אִבַּ֖דhe had destroyed
ʾibadH6 →184 times
חִזְקִיָּ֣הוּHezekiah
chizkiyahuH2396 →127 times
אָבִ֑יוfather his
ʾavivH1 →1212 times
וַיָּ֨קֶםand he set up
vaiyakemH6965 →628 times
מִזְבְּחֹ֜תaltars
mizbechotH4196 →401 times
לַבַּ֗עַלto <the> Baal
labaalH1168 →82 times
וַיַּ֤עַשׂand he made
vaiyaasH6213 →2628 times
אֲשֵׁרָה֙an Asherah pole
ʾasherahH842 →40 times
כַּאֲשֶׁ֣רjust as
kaasherH834 →5497 times
עָשָׂ֗הhe had done
ʾasahH6213 →2628 times
אַחְאָב֙Ahab
ʾachavH256 →92 times
מֶ֣לֶךְ[the] king of
melekhH4428 →2525 times
יִשְׂרָאֵ֔לIsrael
yisraelH3478 →2507 times
וַיִּשְׁתַּ֙חוּ֙and he bowed down
vaiyishtachuH7812 →172 times
לְכָל־to all
lekholH3605 →5413 times
צְבָ֣א[the] host of
tzeva'H6635 →485 times
הַשָּׁמַ֔יִםthe heavens
hashamayimH8064 →421 times
וַֽיַּעֲבֹ֖דand he served
vaiyaavodH5647 →288 times
אֹתָֽם׃<obj.> them
ʾotamH853 →10935 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Deuteronomy 4:19When you look to the heavens and see the sun and moon and stars—all the host of heaven—do not be enticed to bow down and worship what the LORD your God has apportioned to…
it leads to
- Romans 1:25
They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is forever worthy of praise! Amen.
- Deuteronomy 17:3
and going to worship other gods, bowing down to them or to the sun or moon or any of the host of heaven—which I have forbidden—
- Genesis 2:1
Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array.
- 2 Kings 17:16
They abandoned all the commandments of the LORD their God and made for themselves two cast idols of calves and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the host of heaven and served…
- Genesis 1:16–18
God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day and the lesser light to rule the night. And He made the stars as well.
- Romans 1:25
Through
2 Kings 17:16They abandoned all the commandments of the LORD their God and made for themselves two cast idols of calves and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the host of heaven and served…
it leads to
- Deuteronomy 4:19
When you look to the heavens and see the sun and moon and stars—all the host of heaven—do not be enticed to bow down and worship what the LORD your God has apportioned to…
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Deuteronomy 4:19
Through
2 Kings 18:4He removed the high places, shattered the sacred pillars, and cut down the Asherah poles. He also demolished the bronze snake called Nehushtan that Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites…
it leads to
- 2 Chronicles 31:1
When all this had ended, the Israelites in attendance went out to the cities of Judah and broke up the sacred pillars, chopped down the Asherah poles, and tore down the high places and…
- Numbers 21:8–9
Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and mount it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will live.”
- 2 Chronicles 31:1
About 2 Kings
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
- PersonDivided kingdomHezekiahThe reforming king of Judah who trusted Jehovah against Sennacherib, spread the Assyrian letter before the LORD, was granted fifte…
- PersonDivided kingdomAhabSeventh king of the northern kingdom, son of Omri, who "did evil above all that were before him"; Elijah's chief antagonist, conde…
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Apostolic Constitutions, CONSTITUTIONS OF THE HOLY APOSTLES 2.22; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, HOMILIES ON THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW 22.6; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Keil, The Books of the Kings and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.